Dr Fauci warns of COVID-19 spike in US; criticises Trump's response to pandemic

US must make an abrupt change in public health practices as it could surpass 100,000 new coronavirus cases a day and rising deaths in coming weeks, country's top infectious disease expert has warned Americans just days ahead of presidential election.

warning from Dr Anthony Fauci came as President Donald Trump, himself a COVID-19 survivor, has been downplaying rising cases in a number of states and dangerously holding huge rallies with few of his supporters wearing masks and social distancing.

Fauci told Washington Post that nation is "in for a whole lot of hurt." He spoke as US set a new daily record on Friday with more than new 98,000 cases. As hospitalisations increase, deaths are also ticking up, with more than 1,000 reported on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing total to over 230,000 since start of pandemic, report said.

"We’re in for a whole lot of hurt. It’s t a good situation," Fauci, 79, Director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned.

"All stars are aligned in wrong place as you go into fall and winter season, with people congregating at home indoors. You could t possibly be positioned more poorly,” he told Post, ahead of vember 3 presidential polls where Trump, a Republican is being challenged by former US vice president Joe Biden, minee of Democratic Party.

Fauci, a leading member of government's coronavirus response, said US needed to make an abrupt change in public health practices and behaviours. He said country could surpass 100,000 new coronavirus cases a day and predicted rising deaths in coming weeks.

According to Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker, US has reported over 9,127,000 confirmed cases and reported more than 230,000 deaths.

Fauci’s blunt warning came as Trump has rallied in cities experiencing record surges in infections and hospitalisations in a last-ditch effort to convince voters he has successfully mand pandemic. He has held maskless rallies with thousands of supporters, often in violation of local health mandates, leading newspaper pointed out.

He said that Biden’s campaign “is taking it seriously from a public health perspective.” Trump, Fauci said, is “looking at it from a different perspective.” He said that perspective was “ ecomy and reopening country.” At a recent campaign rally, Trump said that US doctors record more deaths from COVID-19, disease coronavirus causes, than or nations because y get more money.

“I mean our doctors are very smart people. So what y do is y say, ‘I’m sorry but everybody dies of COVID,’ ” Trump said on Friday at a rally in Waterford Township, Michigan, without offering any evidence.

Fauci, who is widely trusted by public after a lengthy career serving under six presidents from both parties, appreciated White House chief of staff Mark Meadows saying last weekend on CNN that Trump administration was t going to control pandemic.

"I tip my hat to him for admitting strategy,” Facui said. “He is straightforward in telling you what’s on his mind. I commend him for that.” In a statement, White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere sharply criticised Fauci, claiming he was inappropriately playing politics a few days before Election Day.

"It's unacceptable and breaking with all rms for Dr. Fauci, a senior member of President's Coronavirus Taskforce and someone who has praised President Trump's actions throughout this pandemic, to choose three days before an election to play politics," Deere said in statement.

"As a member of Task Force, Dr. Fauci has a duty to express concerns or push for a change in strategy, but he's t done that, instead choosing to criticise President in media and make his political leanings kwn by praising President's opponent— exactly what American people have come to expect from Swamp," Deere added.